Audi's RS 7 blend of power, luxury

Published 2:02 pm, Friday, February 28, 2014

The RS 7 credentials are 560 horsepower, zero to 60 under 4 seconds and quarter-mile numbers of 11.6 seconds at 123 mph (as reported by Car and Driver magazine).

The RS 7 credentials are 560 horsepower, zero to 60 under 4 seconds and quarter-mile numbers of 11.6 seconds at 123 mph (as reported by Car and Driver magazine).

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14RS 7

14RS 7

Photo: 2013 Jim Fets Photography

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Audi has "gone over the top" with the interior of the RS 7. For instance, the three-spoke sport steering wheel has contrast stitching and emblem, shift knob, door handles and instrument panel detailing are specific to the RS 7. And if you can unlearn slamming the doors, theyâll seal automatically. less

Audi has "gone over the top" with the interior of the RS 7. For instance, the three-spoke sport steering wheel has contrast stitching and emblem, shift knob, door handles and instrument panel detailing are ... more

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Opting for the $5,900 1,300-watt Bang and Olufsen entertainment system gets you 15 speakers, including these retractable tweeters in the dash.

Opting for the $5,900 1,300-watt Bang and Olufsen entertainment system gets you 15 speakers, including these retractable tweeters in the dash.

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The RS 7 starts at $104,900. The test car was âwell-optioned,â so the MSRP came to about $122,000, thanks in part to beautiful 21x9-inch five-spoke wheels featuring 275/30ZR21 summer high-performance tires and carbon ceramic brakes. less

The RS 7 starts at $104,900. The test car was âwell-optioned,â so the MSRP came to about $122,000, thanks in part to beautiful 21x9-inch five-spoke wheels featuring 275/30ZR21 summer high-performance ... more

Audi's RS 7 blend of power, luxury

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Been sitting on a mountain of bitcoins and thinking it might be time to convert some of that digital currency into hard assets?

If you're a gearhead, you could hunt down an impeccably documented 1970 Buick GSX Stage 1 or Plymouth 'Cuda with 440 with their industrial-strength V8s.

But we think it's worth rolling the dice and sinking about the same amount of funds into a potential contemporary classic: the audacious Audi RS 7.

Trust us, back in the original muscle-car era, there was never a four-door like this sexy, sophisticated A7-based luxury machine. The RS 7 has credentials like 560 horsepower, zero to 60 under 4 seconds and quarter-mile numbers of 11.6 seconds at 123 mph (as reported by Car and Driver magazine). If we could warp the space/time continuum, right off the showroom this German performance sedan would show off its trapezoidal taillights and unique oval exhaust.

Unlike those collectible heroes of yesteryear that are too valuable to run around in, the RS 7 is a road-bound executive jet you can enjoy on a daily basis, whether it's a trip across town or to the West or East coasts. It's a hoot to pilot, even if you're not applying full thrust. (If you do, Audi claims the RS 7 tops out at 174 mph.)

The RS 7 relies on a boatload of tech tricks to hit its lofty performance specs. Under light or medium load, cylinder deactivation technology can temporarily take four cylinders of its twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 out of the picture. Audi reports running in four-cylinder mode can reduce the RS 7's fuel consumption by as much as 15 percent. That should take the sting out of tanking up with the premium fuel that's recommended for this executive hot rod.

If you missed out buying your dream machine back in the '70s, this ready-to-rumble Audi could be your shot at a future collectible. The best part is while you're waiting for the thing to appreciate, you and three occupants will be swaddled in Audi's typical benchmark interior - the RS 7's being more over the top.

For instance the three-spoke sport steering wheel has contrast stitching and emblem, shift knob, door handles and instrument panel detailing specific to the RS 7. And if you can unlearn slamming the doors, they'll seal automatically.

The RS 7 starts at $104,900. Our test car, though, was what the collectors like to call "well-optioned," so the MSRP came to about $122,000, thanks in part to beautiful 21x9-inch five-spoke wheels featuring 275/30ZR21 summer high-performance tires, carbon ceramic brakes, innovation package featuring navigation and night vision, driver's assistance package that boasts adaptive cruise control, front and rear cameras and sensors, and the Bang and Olufsen advanced sound system. This 15-speaker, $5,900 option literally rises to the occasion in transforming the cabin into a small concert hall - when switched on, two tweeter horns in the dash extend. When off, they retract flush with the dash.

Remember we said the RS 7 was over the top? The stereo is rated at 1,300 watts.

This sexy four-door shines on the information highway. The RS 7, like the A7 and S7, leaves the factory with Audi connect, the automaker's branded connected infotainment system. In addition to the full suite of navigation and radio options, Audi connect includes on-board WiFi that can supply up to eight devices. That means the navigation system integrates Internet-driven features such as Google Earth, and you're never far from apps that can likely guide you to a good meal or movie. The first six months of Audi connect are complimentary; after that you must re-subscribe at your own cost.

The RS 7 isn't exactly a featherweight at 4,475 pounds, but keep in mind this Audi is a wolf duded up in a tuxedo. With its eight-speed automatic transmission matched to Audi's signature quattro all-wheel-drive, the RS 7 has about 8 pounds per horsepower. The RS 7's stunning "coupe" shape and five-door configuration delivers comfort and room for passengers (rear legroom, for example, is 37 inches, 1.7 inches less than Audi's A8 sedan.) Luggage space is a useful 24.5 cu.-ft., compared to the A8's 13.2 cu.-ft. The RS 7, like the more affordable A7 and S7, is powerful proof that practicality needn't take a back seat to style, sportiness or performance.